Northern Stage has teamed up with A Play, A Pie and A Pint, based in Òran Mór theatre in Glasgow, to bring the famous new writing set up to Newcastle this November (Tue 17 – Sat 21). Audiences will enjoy a 50-minute brand-new play alongside a delicious pie and ice-cold pint.
Following an open call of writers based in the North East and Glasgow to find the best new writing, Northern Stage and A Play, A Pie and A Pint are supporting one writer to showcase their 50-minute play at both iconic venues this autumn.
John Maley, a writer based in Glasgow, won the callout with his new play, Making Way, a dystopian thriller where advances in science uncover the secret to reverse aging. As part of the collaboration, the two theatre companies will provide John with dramaturgical support. Making Way will run for two weeks as part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint and Northern Stage’s autumn seasons.
John said: “Making Way asks some serious questions in a humorous vein about how we view the ageing process. What better way to spend an hour than to ponder your own mortality and face the ravages of time? I hope Making Way will amuse and move audiences, whether they intend to grow old gracefully or disgracefully.”
Local stage and screen director Emma Roxburgh will be directing the co-production. Her previous work includes comedy shorts for C4, BBC and BFI. She returns to Northern Stage after her work directing Manifesto (2015) and as Assistant Director on Get Santa (2014).
Emma said: “This is an exciting partnership, and it’s great to be involved and back directing at Northern Stage. John has written a darkly comic piece and I’m really looking forward to the development journey and bringing it to life.”
Natalie Ibu, Artistic Director of Northern Stage, said: “We’re really excited to bring Making Way to Northern Stage audiences. Our callout brought in 30 excellent submissions, and we know that John’s script will make an incredible production. It’s great to see Emma Roxburgh return to Northern Stage, too. We’re really pleased to be working with A Play, A Pie and A Pint on this exciting opportunity to champion and create opportunities for creatives in Glasgow and Newcastle.”
Brian Logan, Artistic Director of A Play, A Pie and A Pint, said: “All of us at A Play, A Pie and A Pint are thrilled to be working with Northern Stage on our first co-production together, the brilliant Making Way by John Maley. Our search for a play to work on together unearthed countless strong submissions, among which John’s eerie, gripping and darkly funny parable of intergenerational injustice was an instant standout. It’s a huge buzz to be working on it with our friends across the border, and to be bringing the whole pie, pint and conviviality experience, as well as this wonderful play, to Newcastle audiences.”
Making Way runs at Northern Stage from Tue 17 to Sat 21 November. Book your tickets here.